The present invention relates to apparatus for preventing unauthorized removal of a small article from a protected area.
A well known and effective system for preventing shoplifting comprises a pair of scanners for setting up a microwave field at, for example, an exit of a store. Attached to merchandise to be protected are special tags which carry reradiating circuitry. When an item is properly purchased, the clerk removes the tag at the point of sale. If the tag is not removed and someone attempts to shoplift the tagged item, the reradiator energizes an alarm when it enters the microwave field, thereby alerting store personnel. For a more detailed discussion, reference can be had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,229 of John Welsh et al, issued Dec. 13, 1977 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
The foregoing system has proven to be extremely successful in combatting shoplifting. However, certain types of merchandise cannot readily be associated with the necessary tags. Cassettes containing magnetic recording tape, for example, are particularly attractive to shoplifters and are difficult to tag. Furthermore, most stores would prefer to display such tape cassettes openly as an encouragement to impulse buying. Many other items present similar problems, such as, for example, small cameras, wristwatches, writing implements, lighters, etc.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,240 of David R. Humble, issued Jan. 20, 1976 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is described apparatus for preventing the unauthorized removal of an article such as a tape cassette from a protected area comprising a container which has a main opening for receiving the article and at least two spaced key openings. The container carries an electromagnetic reradiator and includes article retaining means having a first position clear of the main opening and a second position blocking the opening. An article release device at the point of sale includes at least two spaced keys which are simultaneously advanceable into the key openings for shifting the retaining means from the second position to the first position. While the apparatus described in said Humble patent functions satisfactorily, the construction of the security container with its specialized locks and numerous parts is costly to manufacture and therefore not ideal for high volume usage as required by a retail outlet for audio tapes handling thousands of individual items.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a more economically fabricated container for small objects such as cassettes containing recording tape by means of which microwave security tags can be readily attached thereto. Other objects are to provide such protection while keeping the protected item in open view, and rendering the reradiating device difficult to remove by a shoplifter but easily removable by a checkout clerk.